People trafficking gangs squeezing document numbers on flimsy boats

People smuggling gangs are packing larger numbers of migrants onto flimsy boats, shocking new figures analysed by MailOnline have shown. 

On average, gangs are squeezing an average of 52 migrants on each boat – increasing the danger for those making the hazardous crossing. Almost 1,100 migrants arrived in the UK over the weekend. 

So far this year, at least 39 migrants have died while making the crossing – with eight losing their lives on Saturday. 

Since January 1, some 23,544 migrants have crossed the English Channel on board 447 boats. 

In 2018, 499 migrants arrived in the UK on 43 small boats – an average of almost 7 people per vessel. 

That average increased to 11 in 2019, and then to 13 in 2020. By 2021 the average increased to 27 and rose again in 2022 to 41. Last year the average was almost 49 people per boat. That figure has increased again this year to 52.7 migrants. 

Commenting on the figures, A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.

‘As we have seen with so many recent devastating tragedies in the Channel, the people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay. We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.

‘We are making progress, bolstering our personnel numbers in the UK and abroad. Our new Border Security Command will strengthen our global partnerships and enhance our efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute these evil criminals.’

In response to the ongoing crisis, the Government has appointed Martin Hewitt, the police chief who oversaw the UK’s enforcement of Covid 19 lockdown laws as head of the new Border Security Command. 

Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Italy to discuss the migration crisis as he seeks to ‘reset’ relations with the EU. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has overseen a 60 per cent drop in the number of arrivals on small boats over the past year. =

Sir Keir, who announced he was axing the previous Tory administration’s Rwanda deportation policy as one of his first moves in office, declared there would be ‘no more gimmicks’ to curb migration.

‘This Government will tackle the smuggling gangs who trade the lives of men, women and children across borders,’ he said.

‘Martin Hewitt’s unique expertise will lead a new era of international enforcement to dismantle these networks, protect our shores and bring order to the asylum system.’

Mr Hewitt previously co-ordinated all of Britain’s police forces as they enforced controversial new rules governing lockdowns introduced by then-prime minister Boris Johnson’s administration.

The emergency legislation was criticised by some as rushed and inconsistently applied while the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) revealed some people had been wrongfully charged under the laws.

Mr Hewitt will now be in charge of joining up law enforcement and intelligence agencies to lead joint investigations with European counterparts to address organised immigration crime, No 10 said.

The former officer, who also helped shape national responses to major security threats including terrorism in his role as NPCC chairman, said he was ‘under no illusions of the challenges that lie ahead’ and ‘determined to face them head-on.’

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the new border unit would allow the Government to go ‘much further’ in taking action against people-smuggling gangs.

‘With the Border Security Command we can go much further – building new law enforcement partnerships across Europe and getting new powers into place, to go after the gangs, tackle dangerous boat crossings and save lives,’ she said.

It comes after eight migrants died while trying to cross the Channel overnight as some 801 migrants made the journey on Saturday – the second highest daily total so far this year, according to provisional Home Office figures.

Both Sir Keir and Mr Hewitt are expected to visit Italy’s National Co-ordination Centre during his trip, where they will be briefed on their response to irregular migration.

The Prime Minister is also set to sign a joint communique outlining further co-operation with Rome on migration, growth and defence.

Sir Keir has signalled he is open to pursuing an arrangement similar to Italy’s migration deal with Albania, whereby asylum seekers will be held in the Balkan state while their claims are processed.

The scheme has been criticised by human rights campaigners as unworkable but the Italian government argues it is necessary to reduce migrant arrivals by sea.

Unlike the Rwanda policy, asylum seekers whose applications are successful would be able to enter Italy under the plans.